The School of Neuroscience at Virginia Tech is excited to announce that Dr. Francis X. Shen, Associate Professor of Law and McKnight Presidential Fellow at the University of Minnesota, will join the School of Neuroscience as Visiting Professor during Fall of 2017 to offer a new class on Neuroscience and the Law (NEUR4984).

At the University of Minnesota, Professor Shen directs the Shen Neurolaw Lab. The Lab motto is, “Every story is a brain story.” He is also a Senior Fellow in Law and Applied Neuroscience at the Harvard Center for Law, Brain, and Behavior at Massachusetts General Hospital, and serves as Executive Director of Education and Outreach for the MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Law and Neuroscience, in which capacity he creates neurolaw educational programs for judges and lawyers.

Dr. Shen received his JD and PhD degrees from Harvard, and conducts empirical and interdisciplinary research at the intersection of law and the brain sciences. He has co-authored 3 books, including the first Law and Neuroscience textbook with colleagues Owen Jones and Jeffrey Schall (Aspen 2014). He has also authored or co-authored 40 articles and book chapters, including publications on a range of neurolaw topics, including criminal law, decision-making, addiction, tort law, mental health, legislation, dementia, and evidence. These and additional topics will be covered in his course at VT.

This exciting new course particularly serves Neuroscience students who are seeking a professional career in Law, Business, Policy, Politics, Government, and Advocacy.